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Heraklion Archaeological Museum

Heraklion Archaeological Museum

Heraklion Archaeological Museum
4.5
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
A museum delineating the history of the island Crete, complete with artifacts belonging to the ancient civilizations that once populated the island.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Admission tickets
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£11.83
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  • Global-Villagerr
    Denver, Colorado360 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must See Museum in Heraklion
    Very good museum covering the Cretan culture and history from the Minoans through the classical period. Well worth the 90 minutes we spent there before going to Knossos. Well laid out exhibits with sufficient interpretation to make the collection understandable and relevant. Highly recommend.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 October 2023
  • Clare D
    Surrey, United Kingdom91 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Museum trip
    As part of a tour of the city and Knossos, we visited the museum with a guide, which was very interesting. It was great to see some of the original artifacts from Knossos on display, including King Minos' ring. Seeing a wooden replica of Knossos in the museum really showed just how big it was. A fascinating tour, although we only had time to see the Minoan section.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 October 2023
  • NDSuzieQ
    Boston, Massachusetts211 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very good museum
    Bought the combo ticket with Knossos which we visited first. I am not great at picturing hung which aren’t there, so for us Knossos was a total bust. The museum on the other hand was amazing. We would have been much better off had we just gone there and skipped the palace entirely. All signs have English translations so we were able to read and understand as much as we wanted. Each room had a theme which helped orient us, even if we didn’t want to read anything more about the individual artifacts. Took about an hour and 15 min for us to go through, including grabbing a soda from the shop and sitting in the shaded courtyard. Money well spent.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Tony86
    12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brings Knossos and Minoan civiliisation to life.
    I was a little underwhelmed by the palace of Knossos. Spoilt perhaps by Pompeii, it was difficult to imaagine what life was like there. But, the next day we visited Heraklion and its Archaeological museum and there is just the right amount of rooms / exhibits and it fairly blew me away ; 2000 BC and such an advanced civilisation. Heraklion itself aint much and the dotto train was a ioke
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 October 2023
  • Zoltan
    Budapest, Hungary60 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not just for teachers of history
    Heraklion Archaeological Museum offers a half a day programme for those interested in ancient history. Its rooms are on two levels in a fairly modern building. Don't even try to look at each item on display - there is a lot of similar pieces and also a large number of items so it can get repetitive unless you are really ardent. Download the app at the site to familiarize with the really outstanding handicraft, as they are not specifically labelled and so won't stand out. I particularly loved the clay tablets with ancient scripts Linear A and B.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 October 2023
  • Anna
    Tychy, Poland111 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Huge collection
    The museum has a huge collection of ceramics. The exhibition is prepared in a very traditional way - an exhibit plus a board with an explanation. This may be boring, especially for children. It is worth booking 2-3 hours if you want to read all the descriptions.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled on business
    Written 30 October 2023
  • tymm h
    17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place for a Cretan historical overview
    We decided to start our Crete visit here. It provided an opportunity to learn about the different civilizations that lived on Crete. Many, many artifacts on display. Actually after visiting a few historical site throughout the island you'll learn where many of these antiquities come from. There was so much to see that we will visit the museum again on our last day in Crete to bring our visit full circle. Visit early in the day if you can. We arrived there a few minutes after opening to an extremely short line. On exiting about noon we were shocked by how many people were waiting in line to get in and this was in late October, supposedy then slow season.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 November 2023
  • KC30000
    England, United Kingdom102 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great museum for Cretan history
    We took a break from our beach holiday so that we could visit this musuem. We went to the Palace of Knossos last year and as we did not visit this museum then, it was only right to now visit this great musuem. Right in the centre of Heraklion and very easy to find, this musuem really compliments the visit to the Palace of Knossos and provides a wonderful insight into Cretan history. This museum has many artefacts from the Ancient Minoan civilization which really shows just how advanced they were and also provides a great depth of history and in some ways shows how it links with Ancient Greece and Egypt as it reflects how the Minoans traded with Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. We really enjoyed our visit to this musuem and although it's not free to enter (like most archaeological sites in Greece), it was definately worth the visit.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 26 December 2023
  • John P
    Melbourne, Australia1,159 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Outstanding museum
    A brilliant museum with numerous wonderful exhibits grouped together into sensible informative topics. The ceramics are wonderful and the ceramic baths and sarcophagi especially fabulous. My wife sensibly asked staff to point out highlights given our limited time! I didn’t! As a result she showed me photographs of wonderful things I didn’t get to though she did take me upstairs to the rescues. Don’t miss this, much better than a trip to Knossos! It also has really thorough and clear interpretation, in English!
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 January 2024
  • Louise B
    Sydney, Australia19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent archaeological museum - Knossos, the Minoan civilisation and more
    We visited in March so it was quiet. The rooms were easy to navigate with clear information (English and Greek) and layout. We had visited the Knossos Palace site earlier in the day and hence benefited from having some understanding of the size (large!) and complexity of the site - many not all) of the artefacts on display were from Knossos We were surprised and impressed by the range of Cycladic art display. The Minoan civilisation artefacts were quite incredible. The fresco room was one of the highlights but all of it was impressive. Do not miss this! Quite one of the best archaeological museums we have ever visited.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 March 2024
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4.5
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1,739
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Azure29
Manchester, UK49 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Couples
The museum was fascinating. Obviously there was a lot of focus on the Minoan civilisation and I was amazed at the number of very ancient artifacts that have been accumulated in the museum, covering many different aspects of life. The museum was well organised into different historical periods. The content of this museum makes it a must to visit if you are interested in ancient history.

Our first attempt to visit this place was pretty frustrating. It was about 11:20 am and there was a big queue to get in that went around the corner of the building. We got to the front only to be told that they needed to see our Covid vaccination certificate and passport! There was no indication (no signs outside for example) stating this. We queued for 25 minutes in the midday heat only to be turned away at the entrance because we didn’t have our vaccination certificates or passports with us! I can’t believe how strict they were - even more than actually getting into the country!

We came back the day afterwards with all the required documentation determined to go because we’d bought tickets already at the historical site of Knossos. Luckily the tickets were valid for two days.

One good thing about the museum is that it is open until fairly late. At the time of writing this, the museum closed at 20:00 during the weekdays. We decided to go there at 17:00 and there were no queues outside and only a few people in the museum. We took our time and really enjoyed our visit.

Our initial experience was not very good but with some adjustments, it turned out to be worth it. I would advise people to bring all your documents with you no matter how ridiculous it seems. I would also advise either to go there early or better still late on to avoid the peak tourist periods.
Written 19 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sandra P.
Prague, Czech Republic71 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Friends
When you are in Heraklion and you want to know something about history, you have to visit Archaeological museum. I recommend you to buy combinated ticket to museum and to Knossos, because you safe a lot of money and it related to each other. You will see a lot of statues, jewelry, paintings, weapons and more..
Written 27 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

franckydoudou
Ambilly, France609 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
beautiful collections of Minoan and Greek artefacts, lots in very good shape.. lots of vases and amphoraes.. some impressive clay coffins..
museum is very large and require a 2 hours visit .. entrance can be combined with Knossos palace if you buy the ticket in the museum only.. for 20EUR PP..
definitively woirth a visit!
few parking in the area with a short walk.
Written 13 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ramadama
New Providence, NJ2,919 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Friends
This is a very amazing and special archeological museum. They have so many beautiful pieces and it very nicely organized. There is so much to see that it was overwhelming but so enjoyable. One can easily spend 2-3 hours wondering and marveling at the artistic beauty of so many of the pieces. I felt like I needed to take a break half way through to be able to enjoy the other half of the museum. The admission price is 12 euro and 20 euro if you combine it with the Knossos Palace. You have 3 days to see both sites. I actually felt that I needed a break and went to the Palace the next day.
Written 16 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Phil C
Winchester, UK1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
Whoever came up with the Covid protocols at this museum is not very intelligent - they involve kettling you in the ticket hall for over an hour while an overweight man with a ponytail shouts at visitors and staff alike.

The museum is very poor value for money. It takes around 20 minutes to get a good look at everything.

Avoid.
Written 31 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fay E
York, UK32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Family
After visiting Knossos and being really disappointed at the lack of original artifacts on display there we headed to the museum. It was so interesting and we'll laid out with artefacts from the Minoan ages onwards. On display is the beautiful bee pendant, the sculptures of the snake goddess and the frescoes of Knossos. There is a lovely roof top cafe which is very reasonably priced. We paid 20 euros for a ticket which included Knossos and the museum, we parked at Knossos (free) and then took the no 2 bus from outside the gates of Knossos to the side of the museum. We will definitely return to Iraklion to explore some of the other museums. Crete has such an interesting history.
Written 6 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KrisD_pl
Warsaw, Poland7,678 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
A visit to Crete would not be full without visiting this excellent museum. Fantastic collections, nicely displayed and described. Between November and March the entrance fee is reduced by 50% and you pay just 6 euros. Definitely worth visiting, even on full price - something I cannot say about Knossos.
Written 5 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jake K
Vancouver, Canada71 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
A wonderfull museum of all the artifacts recovered from Knossos and other locations in Crete. Easy to find at the east edge of the old city and medium size venue with all the displays well shown and explained. Includes the not to be missed Phaistos disc. Head phone and guded tours available. Allow 2 hrs max.
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dai B
Newport21 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
This would have been an informative and enjoyable trip if I did not have the children with me. The security guards clearly did not want the children there and constantly reprimanded them for making a noise or for pointing a finger at a glass case and, heaven forbid, had the audacity to actually touch the glass. My children weren't even particularly boisterous and were mainly taking an interest in what they were seeing.

They had a large amount of artefacts, and I agree with other posts that the museum was well lit, air conditioned and all the plaques were written in English as well as Greek. The rooms did get a bit "samey" after a while though.
Written 2 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Frans K
22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
The archeological museum was amongst the very best we have ever been too and the level of compliance with COVID 19 requirements was extraordinary. The museum had many extra staff on hand to ensure orderly flow of visitors without any overcrowding. And all visitors easily and patiently complied. The art descriptions were very clear and we simply marveled at it all
Written 30 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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HERAKLION ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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